DepEd didn't submit documents on confi funds for counter-insurgency programs —witness

The Department of Education (DepEd) was not able to submit supporting documents in relation to the supposed use of a total of P112.5 million in confidential funds in 2023, during the term of Vice President Sara Duterte as Education secretary.

That's according to Atty. Roderick Wamil, former COA Intelligence and Confidential Funds Office state auditor, on the 12th day of the impeachment trial as he was presented with a copy of the 2023 physical and financial plan of DepEd.

It indicated an allocation of P37.5 million for the first to third quarters of 2023, totaling to P112.5 million. Wamil confirmed that the document was signed and approved by Duterte.

LIVE UPDATES: Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial (August 4, 2026)

Based on the document, the DepEd specifically enumerated the following programs, activities and projects' funds sources:

• Counter-insurgency programs (P9.375 million in Q1; P9.3 million in Q2; P9.2 million in Q3)
• Abuse prevention and control within schools (P10 million in Q1; P10.075 million in Q2; P10.125 million in Q3)
• Anti-illegal activities operations (P9 million in Q1; P9.1 million in Q2; P9.14 million in Q3)
• Anti-extremism/terrorism programs (P9.125 million in Q1; P9.025 million in Q2; P9.035 million in Q3)

Asked by House private prosecutor Atty. Lorna Kapunan if DepEd submitted supporting documents evidencing expenditures for the abovementioned programs, Wamil said there were none.

He also said that based on the document, the agency did not indicate its specific confidential activities for which the confidential fund disbursements would be based on.

Specifically, Kapunan asked if DepEd submitted any list of New People's Army (NPA), communists, and leftist groups and if the agency eliminated or reduced the recruitment of teachers and learners by communists, as indicated as a “physical target” under the counter-insurgency programs.

"Since hindi po naka-enumerate 'yung kanilang specific confidential activities, hindi po naka-match 'yung kanilang physical target on the specific confidential activities na pag-gagamitan nila no'ng kanilang fund or confidential funds,” Wamil answered.

(Since their specific confidential activities were not enumerated, their physical target on the specific confidential activities that they would use their confidential funds did not match.)

Duterte served as secretary of DepEd beginning June 2022 until her resignation in July 2024. —VAL, GMA News